Wiseman Khuzwayo
The low-intensity war between the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), both of which are affiliated to Cosatu, flared up on Friday when the two unions exchanged harsh words over a wage offer by Eskom.
The NUM said it rejected with contempt the lies spread by Numsa shop stewards at their meeting on Thursday, where they alleged that the NUM had accepted a 5.6 percent wage increase offer from Eskom and that the union had agreed in writing never to strike at Eskom.
The statement angered the Numsa leadership, which said it did not understand why the NUM had run to the media instead of approaching Numsa.
Both unions have organisational rights at Eskom. However, the NUM has in the past accused Numsa of poaching its members there.
Stephen Nhlapho, the Numsa co-ordinator for basic metals and energy, angrily denied such a meeting had taken place, saying a Numsa national shop steward meeting was only due this week. The NUM used to pride itself on being the biggest Cosatu affiliate, with 300 000 members. But Numsa is claiming the mantle, saying it now has 320 000 members.
This is credible because the NUM has lost members in the mining sector in its turf war with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union.
Numsa and NUM are also at loggerheads over the attempts to remove Zwelinzima Vavi, the general secretary of Cosatu, with the NUM being part of the anti-Vavi faction while Numsa is a strong supporter.
The attack by NUM seems to have astounded Cosatu. Its media office did not transmit the NUM statement to the media as it normally does with the statements from its affiliates. Patrick Craven, the national spokesman for Cosatu, said: “There is no particular reason the statement has not been circulated. A decision has to be made.”
Lesiba Seshoka, a spokesman for NUM, said: “As a union, we reject these [Numsa allegations] as pure falsehood and a desperation by our sister union to cause havoc within the ranks of our union and the federation at large.”
He said NUM put it on record that there was no agreement between itself and Eskom. The Eskom wage dispute has been referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) by the employer, a move which NUM has taken exception to.
When told that Numsa denied that it had held a shop stewards meeting on Thursday, Seshoka was emphatic that it had taken place at Eskom’s Megawatt Park headquarters in Sandton.
“Of course, they will deny it like they deny everything, such as poaching our members in construction.”
Numsa president Cedric Gina said he had not attended the shop stewards meeting that NUM referred to nor had he spoken to anyone who attended it. He said: “Why did NUM not approach Numsa and ask us why we don’t intervene? Do they think that by going to the media it is going to be helpful?”
Nhlapho said the Numsa shop stewards, who were at the same meeting with NUM shop stewards where both unions declared a dispute with Eskom, could not have been have the ones who had spoken to NUM.
However, he said Numsa had been told by Eskom that NUM had given the power utility an undertaking not to go on strike.
“I am not aware what they are talking about because I am not aware of any Numsa shop stewards meeting on Thursday. They are talking about hearsay. They are being unprofessional by going to the media. They should have phoned us.”